Exploring Senior Management Support in the Implementation of the Results Based Management System in Zimbabwe’s Schools Sector

Abstract

This article made an analysis of the involvement of senior management in the implementation of the Results Based Management System in schools. This was amid concerns from educators that they were finding it difficult to effectively and meaningfully implement the RBM System in schools. The interpretivist/constructivist research paradigm underpinned our study, hence a qualitative research approach was employed. This was a case study of two schools. The population for the study was sixtyeight (68) schools both primary and secondary with a teacher population of nine hundred and forty-nine (949) teachers. Two schools (one primary and the other secondary) were purposefully selected to participate in the study. Thus, twenty-nine (29) teachers and the two (2) school heads became the sample for the study. Included in the sample were the District Schools Inspector and the Education Inspector in the district. Data were generated through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, observation and document analysis. As such these instruments enhanced the triangulation of the data generated. Data analysis was done concurrently with data generation. Major findings were that senior management in education, starting with the school head through to Head Office personnel, were not visible in schools and the district to assess whether the RBM System was meeting its intended objectives. Of further concern to educators was senior management's failure to address issues of educators' training, availability of resources, incentives and feedback which indeed were the province of senior managers. The study recommends that senior managers engage themselves in word and in action in the implementation of RBM. strategic planning at all levels and systematic performance measurement, information management, and timely and accurate reporting systems (Ministry of Public Service, 2009). It was in the interest of this study to explore senior management support in the implementation of the Results Based Management System in two selected schools. THEORETICAL UNDERPINNINGS AND LITERATURE REVIEWThe Results Based Management (RBM) System is guided largely by the Goal Setting Theory which assumes that behavior is a result of conscious goals and intentions. Milmore (2007) advances that there are three key elements underpinning this theory; first, that clear and challenging goals lead to higher performance than less challenging ones. Second, that goals direct the performance of individuals leaving them with higher chances of succeeding. The third is that goals set must be accepted by the implementers of such goals. Implied in these elements is the notion that there should be dialogue between the manager and the supervisee in the setting up of goals in an organisation to ensure that the individual goals are in tandem with the organisational goals. This leaves the senior person (the manager) with the responsibility of overseeing the relevance of the set objectives to the development of the organisation. Basing on this theory, Beardwell and Clayton (2010) a...